When We Pretend that We're Dead
by InTheTelling
Summary: Cedric Diggory survives the night of the third task. How does the wizarding world receive his horrible tale? And does the alliance formed between him and Harry become something new and unexpected? Slash, HP/CD.
1. Between Life and Death

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the Harry Potter series. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this.

**Author's Note: **As always, reviews are appreciated. Though I understand if you don't leave them... I can be the same way too... So I don't expect so much, especially since I believe completely that you get what you give... Damn Karma....

"Someone's coming," Harry whispered.

Cedric and Harry watched as a short, squat figure approached, its pace steady and its visage obscured by the hood of a cloak. In its arms was a bundle of some sort. Neither could tell if it was anymore than cloth, or whether a baby lay nestled within.

Feelings of distrust and doubt overwhelmed Cedric. He started to back away, looking ahead to mark the progress of this mysterious individual. Harry stood resolute, and threw a questioning glance to Cedric over his shoulder. Cedric only shrugged at raised his wand higher, poised for defense.

Nearer and nearer the person came, steady steps crunching the dead grass beneath. It stopped before a tall marble headstone, turning to look at Harry and Cedric.

Suddenly Harry let loose a feral scream, dropping his wand and clutching his forehead as his knees gave way underneath him. Cedric's gaze shifted rapidly from the hooded figure to Harry, back and forth. He held his wand still firmer, side-stepping back to where Harry was.

_"Kill the spare…"_ came a deathly whisper, seemingly from the bundle of robes in the man's arms.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Cedric's shoulder collided abruptly with Harry's as he fell with a thud to the ground. The rest was darkness…

* * *

Cedric woke over an hour later, lying still and listening to the sounds around him. He heard the deathly whisper, then the tone of Harry's voice, back and forth, along with Harry's occasional screams of pain. Immobilized by fear, Cedric lay deadly still, listening carefully, trying to comprehend the situation and what he should do about it.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Cedric heard Harry shout, just as Voldemort yelled, "_Avada Kedavra_!"

And suddenly all was light, above Cedric and all along the dead grass of the cemetery. Cedric tilted his head ever so slightly and saw a sight he'd never before encountered. Between Harry's and Volemort's wands was a thick band of golden, uninterrupted light, light eternal lightning, struggling forcefully to be released. Both wizards gripped their wands hard.

Cedric watched anxiously, wishing he could do something, anything, to help Harry escape. But all he did was look on with bated breath, barely hearing Voldemort's pleas for help from his Death Eaters.

The connection seemed to last for an eternity of seconds and minutes, each one as tense as the last. Cedric's eyes glazed over in wonder at the sight of Harry's deceased parents' ghostly forms, and the forms of others he could not recognize. They seemed to be egging Harry on, encouraging him to remain firm and strong, and to hold on tightly.

It ended as suddenly as it started, and it left everyone completely breathless and weary with nerves. Harry ran, as fast as he could, towards Cedric's body.

Cedric quickly closed his eyes and felt Harry hook an arm around his torso tightly, before he accio'ed the Triwizard cup and they both were tugged up, down, and away in a suction space of strong wind and indistinct color. And Cedric opened his eyes to see Harry's eyes tightly shut, shutting out the sensations of pain and trembling nervousness.

* * *

They landed harshly upon the soft grass before the stands, and were greeted with many loud screams and shouts, but Harry disregarded all and cried hopelessly into Cedric's chest, gripping the Hufflepuff's shirt tightly in his fists.

"Harry!" many voices called. Among them was Dumbledore's voice, though it was nearly unrecognizable in its uncharacteristic anxiousness.

"He- he's dead!" Harry cried, sobbing as he continued to ball the shirt around his shaking hands.

Cedric took a deep breath, preparing himself to sit up, feeling his head throb painfully. Harry felt Cedric's chest heave underneath his hands, and looked quickly up to his face.

"CEDRIC!" Harry yelled as Cedric sat up slowly, shocking on-comers into stopping in their tracks.

Cedric gulped. "Harry…"


	2. The Hospital Wing

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter. Or Cedric Diggory. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this at all. I'd be having my way with those two. :P

**Author's Note**: Thank you for the reviews. They're part of the reason I continue writing.

"Yes, mum, dad, I'm fine. Trust me." Though Cedric understood his parents' concern about him, he felt that the air around him was stifled with their worry. "And what I want the most right now is sleep…" His mom continued gripping his hand tightly, her eyes flitting across his face, as if waiting for him to come down with a sudden case of boils. As if being in the presence of Voldemort must have imparted some fatal magic that would soon finish him off.

His father sat on the other side of him, with a look similar to his wife's. Cedric sighed. "Really, I'm fine, and I'll be fine. But I'd really like to sleep, so if you could just… Just leave me to it. Please." He shut his eyes against their worried stares.

"Alright, my dear." His mom ran her hand lovingly along his cheek. "Sleep well." His father nodded in agreement and they both left, throwing glances and weary smiles over their shoulders.

Harry came in a few minutes after their departure, looking quite exhausted. He spotted Cedric and immediately sat down in the bed beside his. "How are you? Is everything alright? You aren't hurt too badly, are you?"

Cedric let out a small laugh at Harry's rambling. "Harry, I'm fine, really. You're starting to sound like my mother." His face lit up with a playful smile.

Harry exhaled deeply, his shoulders drooping down. "I'm sorry, I'm just… I just can't believe this. Any of it. But I'm so happy that you're alive. I believed you were dead. I felt you fall into me, and I just… I thought you were gone." Harry's eyes glistened with tears, reddened with the tears he'd already shed.

Cedric sat up slowly, so as to not aggravate his head. He wasn't quite sure what to say, so he just watched as Harry's tears began travelling down his face. He followed one in particular, watching it's path down, down, down, Harry's bony cheek, to drip lightly from his chin.

"Well, Harry," he said awkwardly, "I'm here. And so are you. We're going to be alright." He gulped at that. In his head, he added, _I hope. _Harry seemed to understand, because his eyebrows loosened and he began to quickly rub his face dry.

"I know." Harry watched Cedric, wondering if he was going to ask him any questions like so many of the others had. But they both remained silent.

"There you are!" Madame Pomfry's voice rang out in the silence, jarring both boys into breaking their tense gaze. "I wondered when you'd get here. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have been asking after you for a long while now, as well as Miss Chang for you, Mr. Diggory, but I told them they'd not be seeing you until the morning." She was stern with every word, but she softened when she saw his distraught state. "Now, if you would, I need to check you for any and all injuries."

Harry followed her to the back of the long room and stripped off behind the curtain she closed around them.

Cedric watched the shadows displayed upon the curtain. His breath caught when Harry began to undress, though he didn't admit it to himself. He became steadily more nervous with each incantation he heard pass Madame Pomfry's lips.

"Alright Mr. Potter. Now put these on, and I'll meet you at your bed with the potions you need to take."

Harry nodded curtly and pulled the pajamas on roughly, wincing at little aches here and there.

"Now, drink this." Harry sat down on his bed and took a potion from her outstretched hand. "It will relieve the pain. And this… Dreamless sleep." She paused to look at him knowingly, and Harry looked away as he downed the potion quickly.

As if awakening from a trance, Madame Pomfry said, "Well then. See you both in the morning."

She glanced down the room, checking that her other patients, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum were still asleep. "Good night, boys." And she then shut herself into her chambers.

After a bit, Cedric said, "Nevermind me, how badly did you get banged up?"

Harry sighed. "It's nothing. Just a cut and some bruises, that's all."

"If you say so," Cedric replied shortly, not believing him. "I… I hope you have a good night, Harry." He looked over him with sincerity in every inch of his face.

"You too." Harry returned the look as well as he could before turning to climb under the covers and go to sleep.

Soon, both boys were fast asleep, breathing deeply and thinking of nothing at all.

* * *

The next morning was a fine, dewy June morning, complete with twittering birds and blossoming flowers. Harry awoke to the sounds of Ron and Hermione arguing silently (or so they thought) over which one of them should go get the Weasleys. Harry slowly blinked, looking up at them in their unfocused shapes, and smiled silently.

"Harry!" Hermione breathed before hugging him so tightly, Harry began to feel as if his shoulders were breaking.

"Herm- Hermione, I'm fine." Harry said breathlessly, patting her on the back.

Hermione pulled away to grip him by the shoulders. "Harry, we were so worried about you. You must tell us everything, if not now then soon, because I can't stand not knowing what it was that happened. Honestly, no one will tell us anything, only that it involves Voldemort. Ron and Ginny and Fred and George, none of us could get them to tell us what was going on and –"

"Hermione, breath. Harry's still waking up," Ron said, smiling.

Hermione just looked over at him and huffed. "Yes, Ronald, I know that. I've just been so worried is all." She turned back to Harry. "We all have."

"Yeah mate. You really need to stop getting in so much trouble all the time. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a death wish."

Harry laughed along with his friends, feeling his despair begin to unwind. He turned to see Cedric looking at him silently, but then Cedric shut his eyes up quickly, feigning sleep.

"So what happened Harry?" Hermione's face regained its seriousness.

Ron and Hermione watched in silence as Harry sighed and began to rub his scar. "Voldemort's back."

At their shocked faces, he began to explain. "He did some kind of ritual… He's reborn now. And I – "

He stopped, unable to go on. Hermione took up his hand. "It's alright, Harry. You don't have to say –"

"I'm fine. It's just… It's just that he used my blood is all. For the ritual. I can't help but feel… responsible for him."

Hermione shook her head. "That's nonsense Harry. There's nothing you could have done."

Harry nodded, looking over at Cedric.

"And it's not your fault about Cedric either," Hermione said. "Really, we should be grateful that he's survived. And I bet you saved his life, Harry."

"No, I thought he was dead. I heard Wormtail use the killing curse. I saw Cedric's body… Just – lying there. I didn't save him. I don't know how he's still alive." Harry watched Cedric's chest as it moved up, down, up, down, slowly becoming faster.

Hermione squeezed his hand tightly and he turned to face her once more. "He's fine Harry."

Just then the rest of the Weasleys burst in. "Oh thank _goodness _you're alright, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, bustling up to him and wrapping him in a tight hug, perhaps even tighter than Hermione's. "You've no idea just how worried we've all been. Oh let me look at you." She pulled away quickly and looked him over. "You're not hurt too badly are you?"

"No, I'm quite fine," Harry grinned, but it looked more like a grimace than anything, Cedric spied it past all the limbs and gave a small snort.

The others seemed to see it too. "You've got to stop this Harry," Fred said.

"Yes, really, you're one more incident short of giving mum a heart attack," George joked.

Harry laughed. The rest of the hour passed in quiet companionship, until Madame Pomfry ordered them all out. "Really, how can you expect Harry to recover at all with all of you hovering over him so."

They huffed and asked to stay longer, but she would not allow it, so with weary smiles, they departed.

"Now, it's time for breakfast." She uncorked a potion for Cedric, and another for Harry. "Drink up. The house elves will be here with food any minute."

Harry looked to see Krum and Delacour still sleeping. He turned to Cedric and gave a tentative smile. "Morning."

Cedric blushed. There was something in Harry's look… It was like he knew everything Cedric had ever done. "And to you as well," he replied politely.

The silence fell like a blanket over them. An awkward blanket. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Cho ran through the door, and took Cedric into her arms tightly. Harry blushed and looked away as she kissed him, everywhere she could, it seemed.

Cedric meanwhile, tried to extricate himself from her bone-crushing grip. "Cho- I'm – fine, really."

"Oh Cedric, I was so worried about you! When I heard him say that you were dead, I –"

Cedric put his hand to her lips softly. "I know. But you don't have to worry anymore. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon… Especially if Madame Pomfry has her way." He smiled at her before he took her into a hug of his own. He glanced over to Harry, seeing his embarrassment. He understood it. Cho had told him how Harry had asked her and how she'd hated to upset Harry by saying no.

"_But," _she'd said, _"I've already promised you that I would go. Besides, how would it look if the most gorgeous guy in school showed up without a date?" _

Cho was the first person he'd told his secret to. And one of the only people he felt he could trust. It was hard enough to accept that he was gay, nevermind having a school full of people who could find out at any moment if he chose the wrong person to tell.

He gave Harry a smile and unwrapped his arms from Cho. "They're bringing breakfast soon, and Madame Pomfry will be tempted to hex you if she catches you in here. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Cho nodded sadly. "Okay. But you'd better tell me _everything _once you're let out."

"No promises," Cedric sighed. Cho shook her head, but understood. She left quietly so as not to alert Madame Pomfry.

"Harry?" Cedric called softly.

Harry turned swiftly. "Hm?"

Cedric shook his head and grinned. "Never mind." He hoped Harry didn't notice the blush spreading across his face.


	3. Visitor in the Night

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the rights to the wonderful Harry Potter series. That's a lucky fact too, because my stories aren't nearly as good.

**Author's Note: **When the mood struck, after months of being on strike, this came out. I guess you can't expect too much since it's probably still grouchy about something.

"_Kill the spare."_

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

_Cedric's body hit him hard in the shoulder, almost knocking him over. He was dead, he was dead, rotting next to him, blank eyes, grey blank eyes, dull, looking at him, staring at him – _

Harry yelled and reached out for his glasses, inadvertently knocking over an empty potion bottle. It fell with a crash, the many pieces tinkering out across the cold tiles.

Cedric jerked at the sound, turning to look at Harry, who had his glasses on and was crying uncontrollably.

"Harry, Harry, it's okay –" Cedric cursed as he felt the glass dig into his foot. He made a quick jump over to Harry's bed. Harry turned to him automatically, crying into his neck loudly. Cedric felt his shirt collar becoming steadily wetter as he rocked Harry back and forth, cooing softly.

"I thought – you were d-dead," Harry sobbed, bringing himself ever closer to Cedric, pulling him into a slouch over his crossed legs.

Cedric made soft 'shh' noises and said, "It's okay, I'm not dead, I'm right here, I'm not leaving. Don't worry, I'm right here." He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of Harry's ruffled hair. He rubbed Harry's back in soothing circles, feeling the tenseness of Harry's muscles through the thin pajama shirt.

Once Harry's sobs began to fade, Harry stiffened and pulled away abruptly, looking up at Cedric with startled eyes. Looking away, he rubbed at his face with his sleeves, muttering "Sorry," under his breath.

Cedric felt sad at the loss of Harry's warmth, the hair against his cheek, even the wetness pressed to his neck. The tears Harry had shed on his collar became cold and damp and stinging.

"It's fine, I understand," Cedric said, watching Harry scoot himself to the head of the bed again. He stood up, forgetting about the shard of glass embedded within his heal. He breathed in sharply at the pain, looking down as he walked back to his bed to avoid the other pieces.

"Are you okay?" Harry said, lifting up slightly, ready to give Cedric help.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." He lifted his foot up, inspecting the wound carefully before digging out the glass piece with his fingernail and letting it fall to the floor.

Harry looked down at the broken glass on the floor. "Oh merlin, I'm so sorry, I never meant to –"

"Harry," Cedric laughed, "I know you didn't mean to knock over that potion bottle, have me walk in the mess, and cut my foot up. At least, I'm pretty sure you didn't." Cedric squinted his eyes in mock seriousness, unable to suppress a grin at Harry's worried demeanor.

There was a noise at the door. Harry and Cedric shared a brief, hurried look, before scrambling back under the covers, afraid of receiving a lecture from Madame Pomfrey on the terrible affects of staying up late into the night.

But the footsteps were heavy and uneven, the figure bulky and scraggly haired. Harry failed to see anything, but Cedric had kept his eyes open wide enough to make out shapes. The figure stopped at the foot of Harry's bed, and Cedric recognized it to be Professor Moody. He had his wand raised, and muttered something quickly under his breath before yelling out, "_AVA –_"

"_Stupify!" _Cedric yelled.


End file.
